CHICAGO – The biggest problem with the Angels bullpen lately is the Angels starting pitchers.

“There’s no doubt, this gets back really to our starting pitchers,” Manager Mike Scioscia said of his relievers, who had taken the loss in three consecutive games before Saturday, allowing 15 runs over 8 2/3 innings.

“If you look at our last 20-some starts I think we’re only averaging maybe 17 outs. That’s a big difference from the projection of what these guys were doing earlier when they were routinely getting 21, 22 outs — definitely past 18, 19 outs routinely.

“The difference between 17 outs and 20 outs does not sound like a lot. But it is a lot when it’s happening on an every-day basis.

“So if we get our starting pitching reset and start getting length from our starting pitching again, I think the bullpen will be reset and we’ll be fine.”

In the first 75 games of the season, through June 27, the Angels’ starting pitchers had a 3.49 ERA, were averaging 6 1/3 innings per start and had retired at least one batter in the seventh inning 41 times in those starts (55 percent of the time).

In their 33 games through Saturday, Angels starters had a 5.53 ERA, were averaging 17 outs per start and had retired at least one batter in the seventh inning just 12 times (36 percent).

The downturn has left an increasingly thin bullpen exposed recently. With both Scott Downs and Jordan Walden on the disabled list, Scioscia has Kevin Jepsen and Jason Isringhausen leading to closer Ernesto Frieri. But in those middle innings of games when the Angels are tied or trying to stay close enough to mount a comeback, Scioscia has been turning to Hisanori Takahashi, David Carpenter, LaTroy Hawkins and, only a couple times, long man Jerome Williams. Only Hawkins in that group has been consistently dependable – and he blew a save Saturday.

“We need our guy back. We need Downsy,” Hawkins said. “I’m replaceable. I’m right-handed. We’re all replaceable. But a left-hander who does what he does? He’s not replaceable.”

Downs will not be back from his shoulder strain any time soon. He is scheduled to start a throwing program on Monday.

“I think you’re looking at the lack of length from our starters has made us stretch a group that is talented but is a little bit thin a little more,” Scioscia said. “And we definitely need Downsy back. That’s important.

“It’ll allow us to reset once our starters get to a certain point in the game. We need that. I think on an occasional night we have enough depth to where we can shorten the game to a point where we can go get those nine or 10 outs. But our depth – if we can narrow it down to only having to get those five, six or possibly seven outs then I think you’ll see it reset in a better flow for us.”

“I’m not ready to take a vacation,” Dipoto joked after the non-waiver trade deadline passed on Tuesday. “We’ll keep working and continue to look for ways to improve whether that’s small moves organizationally that help to create depth at the minor-league levels – you’re always looking to get better — and you still have another month to scout major-league players. We’ll continue to search all venues.”

PROTEST GAME

The Angels officially filed a protest with the Commissioner’s Office regarding the controversial play in the first inning Friday in which Paul Konerko was not called out for running inside the baseline. Catcher Chris Iannetta threw wide of first base on the play, which would have been a double play if Konerko had been called out.

Scioscia was asked if the Angels might have been better off had Iannetta just hit Konerko in the back with his throw.

“I think if he would have hit him, they certainly would have made the (interference) call,” Scioscia said. “But the call is not contingent on that. The interpretation of the rule is not contingent on if you hit the runner. It’s contingent on the parameters that they (the umpires) already set (that he was inside the baseline).

“That’s my whole argument. The parameters they set call for that guy to be called out by what they told me about where he was running and that’s what the protest is about.”

MLB vice-president of baseball operations Joe Torre is expected to respond to the protest within five days.

NOTES

Albert Pujols was 2 for 5 with an RBI single and another home run Saturday. He has six home runs in the first six games on this road trip, a major-league high 10 since the All-Star break. He has RBIs in each of the past six games, multiple-RBI games in five of them. And his 72 RBI since May 1 are the most in the majors. … Walden is scheduled to throw off a mound Monday for the first time since going on the DL right after the All-Star break. He could start a brief minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment later in the week.

SUNDAY

Angels right-hander Dan Haren (8-8, 4.59) is scheduled to start against White Sox left-hander Francisco Liriano (3-10, 5.18). Game time is 11:10 a.m. and it will be broadcast on FSW, TBS, KLAA/830 AM and KWKW/1330 AM in Spanish.

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